Amlat Magaleño is dedicated for every Magaleños. This page is designed to promote, disseminate local history and culture of our beloved town, Magalang, province of Pampanga, Philipines; established since April 30, 1605.

The Baron family are one of the leading landowning families in Magalang. Their vast landholdings are located in barrio Sta Maria, Sitio Cabayung Sarul in barrio San Ildefonso all in Magalang, and in the former town proper of Magalang in barrio San Bartolome in Concepcion, Tarlac. In my previous post, "Magalang According to Anuario del Comercio", it was mentioned that Barons are one of the leading rice and sugar planters of Magalang during Spanish period. The Barons traced their ancestry to the couple, Don Bruno Baron and Doña Maria Yutuc. The couple has five children; Silvestra, Guillermo, Faustina, Antonia and Juliana.

Their firstborn, Silvestra remained unmarried while Guillermo married Marcelina David; and the couple had seven children; Mariano, Soledad, Lucas, Fausta, Virginia, Tiburcio, and Candido. Mariano, who owned Cabayung Sarul married Lucia Gueco Mercado. During the Huk insurgency in Magalang, he was ambushed and killed by alleged members of Huks. His siblings, Soledad married Mariano Bernarte, Lucas married Iluminada Dizon, Fausta married Alejandro Gervacio, Virginia married Alejandro Tañedo, Tiburcio married his first cousin, Felisa Baron Cuyugan and Candido married Teodora Punu Gueco.

Atty. Jesus Mercado Baron, former Vice Mayor of Magalang

Faustina married Ruperto Castro Layug, and they had only son Felix. After Ruperto's death, she later married Timoteo Vasquez Lacson, son of Don Manuel Suarez Lacson. former gobernadorcillo (mayor) of Magalang in 1868 and Doña Magdalena Vasquez of Porac. And they had only son, Emilio whom he eventually married his aunt, Atanasia Pamintuan Lacson, youngest child of Don Pablo Suarez Lacson and Doña Martina Quizon Pamintuan! (Emilio's father, Timoteo and Emilio's wife, Atanasia are both first cousins and their both fathers are siblings). Apung Milyo and Apung Taning had a only child, Rogelio whom he died in 1949 due to appendicitis.

Vivencio Baron Cuyugan

Antonia married Saturnino Pamintuan Cuyugan of San Fernando, and their children are; Regino, Felix, Arturo, Bernardo, Elenita, Vivencio married Felisa Amurao, Jose married Benita Gueco Tumang, Felisa married her first cousin, Tiburcio David Baron, and Segundino married Emerenciana Gueco. One of their famous children, Vivencio served as the first socialist mayor of San Fernando and first socialist mayor all over the Philippines. His tenure started from 1937 to 1942; and again in 1945. He obtained his law degree in the United States through his talent in boxing. He was the one of the founders of Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon or Hukbalahap, who fought the invading Japanese. He was relieved by the returning Americans because of his leadership in Hukbalahap. After World War II, he fought the rights of poor farmers and workers. He was later jailed and tortured together with his family in 1953 on charge that he was a communist. He died in 1971.

The youngest children of Don Bruno and Doña Maria, Juliana married Sixto Magno but they had no children. One of the known descendant of the Barons is the former vice mayor of Magalang, Atty. Jesus Mercado Baron, son of landowner, Mariano David Baron and Lucia Gueco Mercado.

Photo Credits:

Family of Emilio and Atanasia L. Vda. de Lacson courtesy of Lacson family

Magalang's main industry is agriculture. Since Spanish period, agriculture is one of the lucrative industries in the town. Aside from its economic importance, agriculture is one of source of food of Magaleños particularly rice. Aside from sugarcane and tobacco, rice is one of the important crops of Magalang and also of the whole Pampanga. Thanks to the contribution of the agricultural experimental station La Granja Modelo de Luzon, (presently known as Pampanga State Agricultural University) and they collected rice samplings from different rice varieties from Magalang, in Pampanga and in neighboring provinces. Those rice samplings were exhibited in Exposicion Regional de Filipinas in 1895 held in Manila.

According to Catalogo de Objetos Presentados en la Exposicion Regional de Filipinas, these are the different rice samplings presented by La Granja Modelo de Luzon:

Magalang municipal building was one of the imposing landmarks in Magalang, It is located within the town proper, across of Plaza de la Libertad going to San Bartolome Church. Ever since, the municipal building was the house of authority and local governance of Magalang. The building traced its roots to the old casa tribunal built during Spanish period. The old tribunal was probably built after the transfer of the town from San Bartolome. It was made up of wood, bamboo and nipa roofing. In 1868, it was robbed by the bandits led by Isidoro Guinto. In 1875, it was refurbished during the administration of Don Tereso Manalo, gobernadorcillo of Magalang. And during that time, they added the military barracks or so called cuartel. In 1896, the casa tribunal was further renovated during the administration of Don Paulino Gueco, capitan municipal of Magalang. The casa tribunal was used as one of the quarters of revolutionaries in 1896; and this place where Fr. Pedro Diez Ubierna, OSA; the last Augustinian parish priest of Magalang and two other Spaniards held their last holy confession; and later, they were maltreated by the revolutionaries.

Old Interior of Magalang Municipal Hall, 1937

During the American period, the old casa tribunal was replaced with the new edifice during the presidency of Don Antonio Y. Luciano, municipal president of Magalang. The construction took place on 1922; and the contractor is the Manila Structural Company. Interestingly, according to The Philippine Journal of Science published in 1927, the materials used in the construction of the new municipal building was quarried locally. The basalt and quartz component of the building was quarried in the Quitangil river; while the seoriaceous basalt components was quarried along Paitan river. The new municipal building was finally inaugurated in 1924. Fortunately, the municipal building survived during the war and from different natural calamities struck the town. The interior of the building was renovated in 1994 during the administration of Mayor Daniel L. Lacson, Jr. In 2015, the National Museum of the Philippines declared the municipal building as one of the Important Cultural Properties of the Philippines; together with the San Bartolome Church and the heliograph towers of barrios Sta. Cruz and San Isidro.

Photo Credits:

For facade of Magalang Municipal Building: The Port of Manila, Philippine Islands

For old interior of the municipal building: Luciano family through the assistance of Mrs. Marga R. Lacson and Mrs. Teresita Suba.

Sources:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L.; The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015); Manila, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2016

Magalang was initially mentioned as visita of Arayat in 1598. However, in April 30, 1605, the Augustinian chapter was officially declared Magalang as independent town separating from Arayat. It comprises the present town of Magalang, and the city of Mabalacat in Pampanga; plus, the present towns of Concepcion, Capas, Bamban, San Jose and city of Tarlac in neighboring province of Tarlac. Magalang was administered by the Augustinian friars since 1605 until 1771, when the parishes were brriefly secularized. It is only in 1849 when Magalang was given back to the Augustinians. In 1863, Magalang was relocated to the present town proper due to large flood from rampaging waters of Parua River. Interestingly, Augustinian friars are not only engaging in religious service in their respective parishes; but they also has huge influence over local government affairs. They also protecting the parish and the town from bandit attacks, and giving warnings to upcoming natural calamities. In Magalang, there are two Augustinian friars who experienced hardships during their tenure in Magalang.

Fr. Ramon M. Sarrionandia- native of Yurreta (Vizcaya), son of Juan Sarrionandia and Juliana Magunagoicoechea. He took his solemn profession in Valladolid in 1854. Four years later, he arrived in Manila in May 26, 1858; and he became a zealous missionary in Pidigan, Ilocos (1862), Tarlac (1863), Magalang (1866), Minalin (1873) and Angeles (1877). He also became active in Tagalog missions where he was remembered for his good tenure. He built the magnificent church of Magalang in 1866, however, in 1868, bandits robbed Magalang and they attacked the church. Fr. Sarrionandia attempted to save the town by offering the bandits of two hundred pesos. But the bandits shoot him and he was slightly wounded. The bandits kidnapped a Spaniard, Don Carlos Vega and he was brought to Mt. Arayat. However, he was saved by the townspeople who valiantly pursued the bandits. His last assignment was in Angeles, where he built the present stone church, designed by Spanish chief engineer, Don Antonio de la Camarra. He also built three bridges crossing Abacan river. He later retired and he settled in Magalang and he died there on August 14, 1880.

Fr. Pedro Diez Ubierna- a native of Celada de la Torre (Burgos); Fr. Ubierna was born in January 18, 1869. He took his solemn profession in September 19, 1886. He arrived in the Philippines in 1893 and he was assigned in San Simon (1894), Floridablanca (1896) and Magalang (January, 1898). During the revolution, he was captured by the revolutionaries in Magalang convent. He was brought in old tribunal (municipal hall) of Magalang together with two Spanish prisoners. He laid his last wish to have confession to his coadjutor, Fr. Francisco Panlilio. However, while he laid his confession, the revolutionaries maltreated him harshly. He was the last Augustinian parish priest of Magalang. He was became a friar prisoner until he was able to escape with his companions in 1899. After his captivity, he administered the parishes of Lubao and Floridablanca, where he repaired the cemetery and roofing of the church. He was assigned back in Manila where he was credited for the renovation of the convent. He became Definidor and Procurador of the province in 1926. He also wrote in the periodical, La Estrella de Antipolo. He died in July 12, 1945.

Photo Credit:

www.sacs-stvi.org retrieved, March 4, 2017

Sources:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L., The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015); Manila, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2016